The Phantom of the High School
by The Ghost Host
Summary: A mysterious Phantom has begun to occupy the theater of Madison High School, as it attempts to put on its production of The Phantom of the Opera. Look carefully to find all of your favorite PotO characters! Additional chapters to follow.
1. Chapter 1

**INTRODUCTION**

It is a well know and established fact that children, by there very nature, are innocent. The children have not to think, merely to exist, awaiting some later calling in life. But at the age of around thirteen or so, something remarkable happens. The innocence of these children is stripped as of the skin of an orange.

Not all children are born innocent.

Some are born different.

Different.

Different than the others.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER ONE**

_**Phantom comes to the Theatre**_

Madison High is a school. It is a school, possessing as few distinguishing qualities as most schools. It has many classrooms, many teachers, and a student population of a fair and modest size. It boasts, if nothing else, a well developed theater department. This department was responsible for, once a year, producing a new and exciting musical production. The student actors performing in these plays are honored at a small banquet at the commencement of the school year. In attendance of this banquet are all the actors, technicians, teachers and parents that will, with any luck, make this year's production a success.

This is also the place, and time, when the new year's production is announced.

Standing at the podium, in front of the crowd, George Lupin stood, a thin piece of paper imperceptibly quivering in his hand. To his right sat his fellow teachers, excitedly awaiting the announcement of the new year's production.

One of these teachers, a Mr. Steven Diamond, sat comfortably in his chair. His eyes danced wildly around the many features of the stage, and the many lights that shone brightly whilst suspended from the ceiling. As he admired the canvas upon which it would he his job to build a set for this year's production, he almost noticed something out of the corner of his eye. A bare movement, the subtle quiver of black on black, had seemed to appear, just for an instant. Surely, he thought, this was simply a figment of his imagination. As he started deeper into the bright lights, his watering eyes forced him to look away. He gained focus only to hear George Lupin announcing the decision which everyone had been second guessing for months. What would this year's play be?

"Hello everyone," began Lupin, "And thank you all for attending this years Theatrical Arts banquet. I would especially like to thank all of you, as well as the parents which have helped make all of this possible. Now I know you have all been waiting to hear what this year's musical production will be. Allow me to say that the entire department is very excited about this decision, and we have full confidence that, with your help, this may be our schools most successful production ever. I speak for all of my colleagues in announcing that this year's production will be, Andrew Lloyd Weber's _The Phantom of the Opera_."

The crowd burst instantly into a chorus of approval. It was perhaps due to all of this excitement that no one noticed the cord slowly unraveling from one of the lights hanging above. And still, perhaps no one noticed as the bolt slowly loosened from the pipe to which the instruments were attached. At first, perhaps no one really noticed as the instrument fell. But as it struck the podium in the loudest and most visually stunning way possible, the crowd suddenly realized in an outburst of silence that a terrible incident had occurred.

Luckily no one was hurt. It was perhaps fitting then, for an understandably startled George Lupin to take to the shattered remains of the podium, forcing a smile as the sentence, "It looks like the Phantom is here already."

It certainly did.

And indeed, the Phantom, of the High School, as it were, was no figment of anyone's imagination. The unaccountable quiver of black on black was real in both flesh and blood, not, as assumed, the mere daydream of a few perceptive teachers.

No indeed, the Phantom was here. And the Phantom would continue to be here for quite some time, by approval of the occupants of the school or otherwise.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER TWO**

_A Purposeful Accident_

It is often stated that news, particularly of a negative bent, seems to abide by its own rules in the way it spreads; an unstoppable virus of mystery and sensation. No where is this idea more true than at Madison High School, where the tightly-knit community struggles to even define something of a secret.

Not to say there aren't secrets.

So it goes without saying that, when school commenced the next day, everyone was already a buzz about the mysterious accident. Though the faculty and the staff attempted to impress upon the students that this was merely an isolated occurrence, nothing could stop people from arriving at their own conclusions.

Meanwhile, three men stood in a dimly lit office placed on the corner of the school campus. Among them were Mr. George Lupin, Steven Diamond, and school principle Andre Fermions. They were engaged in a decidedly heated discussion about the events that had transpired just the night before.

"It was an accident, nothing more," said Lupin, "These things do happen you know."

"Accident?" replied Diamond, "Oh no sir, I can assure you this was no accident."

"You are saying the light fell on purpose then?"

"No, no of course not, what I'm saying is…"

"That it was an accident." Interrupted Diamond.

"No, no! What I am trying to impress on you here is that it _couldn't _have been an accident. That light was installed properly; it couldn't have fallen."

"Oh, but it _did_ fall. On me! Admit it Steve, you screwed up and you know it."

"I can assure you, Mr. Lupin, that I am fully capable…"

"Gentleman. Gentleman," said Andre at last, "Enough of this pointless bickering. The reason we are here is to discern what force, be it gravity or otherwise, caused the accident with which our student population seems to be so familiar. This will be a nightmare for all of us if we cannot assure the safety of our theater; the parents simply will not allow it."

"Mr. Fermions, perhaps I should explain," said Diamond, "All of the lighting instruments used in our theater are attached firmly by a metal bolt to a pole, which is tied into the very structure of the building. Each instrument is further attached by a steel safety cable, so that in the _event_ that an instrument should fall, it does not endanger those below it."

"But Mr. Diamond," said Fermions, "Certainly you will admit there is always the possibility…"

"_Mr. Fermions,_ those cables are capable of suspending an automobile from that ceiling, and we're talking about a 15 pound light here."

"Fine," joined in Lupin, "So then if you would be so kind, _why_ did the light fall in the first place and why was it not caught by your magical safety cable?"

"The only solution is that somebody must have unlatched the safety cable and loosened the bolt."

"But how would they have gotten up there in the first place?" Questioned Fermions.

"They wouldn't have. Getting up to the catwalk requires passing through no less then three doors which are always kept locked, to which only I have the key. You would also need a wrench, which you could only get at school from my tool cabinet which is also kept locked at all times."

"But surely there are duplicate sets of keys." Said Lupin.

"Of course there are. They are kept in my office safe, to which only I know the combination."

"This all seems rather complicated for a school theater production." Said Fermions.

"It is in mine, as well as yours, best interest, Mr. Fermions, _not_ to have lights fall on people. If my theory of a purposeful sabotage is correct, the perpetrator could stage other accidents. For the safety of the students, perhaps…"

"But we can't cancel the play!" Interjected Lupin.

"Mr. Lupin is right, it is one of our biggest events of the school year. People do not come to Madison for our sports department, Mr. Diamond."

"All I'm saying is, it is in our best interest to be careful." Conceded Diamond.

"Well, we have a fallen light that couldn't fall, sabotaged by a person who couldn't be there, at a time and place that couldn't have been worse picked. This will certainly be an interesting year. Good day gentleman."

And with that final word, the conversation was over. The mysterious Phantom had yet to be discovered, and the school would not be wanting for seeing more of him in the future.


End file.
